Milk-pail



(No Model.) j

E, B. BRIGGS. MILK PAIL.

No. 516,470. 'Patented Mar. 13, 1894.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFF-Ina ELI B. BRIGGS,

OF FARMERS VALLEY, ASSIGN OR OF ONE-HALF TO CARLTON R. SPRAGUE, OFSMETHPORT, PENNSYLVANIA.

MILK-PAIL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 516,470, dated March13, 1894. Application filed June 12, 1.393. Serial No. 477,371- (Nomodel.)

.To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ELI B. BRIGGS, a citizen of the United States,residing at Farmers Valley, in the county of McKean and State ofPennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inMilk-Pails, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to milk pails, and it consists of a cover for sucha pail having the novel construction to be hereinafter pointed out, andwhich is provided with a strainer, and with a contracted opening belowthe strainer which is closed by a valve normally held up against thesaid opening to close it practically air tight, but which will permitmilk or other fluid to enter the pail under the pressure incident to ashort column thereof.

In the drawings, wherein my invention is illustrated, Figure 1 is avertical section of a pail provided with my improved strainer, whichlatter is shown in elevation. Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical sectionthrough the strainer. Fig. 3 is an inverted plan view of the cap whichcarries the valve. Fig. 4 is an enlarged plan view of the valvedetached.

Fig. 5 is a detached elevation, away, of the fine strainer.

In the drawings, Aireprese'nts the pail or bucket, which may be of anyusual shape, size and construction. I prefer that it should be made oftin, and provided with a pouring spout a, a handle,-a, and a carryingbail, a B is a cap adapted to be slipped over the end of the spout, a,and to close it practically air tight. It is connected to the pail by achain, 1), so that it will not become lost.

0 represents a cover adapted to be fitted to the top of the pail, andprovided with the strainer and valve to be presently described.

For the purpose of permitting access to the various parts of or partscarried by the cover, to facilitate their being cleaned, I prefer tomake them separable from each other.

The cover 0 consists of a rim, 2, adapted to fit into the upper open endof the pail, and a flaring or funnel-shaped plate, 3, having an openingat its center or lowest point which is closed by a strainer, 4, ofrelatively coarse mesh and of dome shape. A short tube, 5, projectsdownward from the under side of the plate, 3 surrounding the openingthrough the partly broken same. In the tube there is another strainer,6, of finer mesh than the strainer, 4, and preferably easily removablefrom thetube. end, it is carried by a metal rim, 7, which fits, and canbe easily slipped into and withdrawn from the tube 5. A wire, 71,extends across the strainer, 6, connecting the opposite edges of therim, and serving to strengthen and stifien the latter,'and to supportthe strainer, and also as a handle by which the strainer can be handled,the said wire being formed into a loop or handle, 70.

To this 8 is a cap adapted to be slipped over'the end of the tube andpractically close the same.

The end plate, 9, of this cap preferablycurves downward toward thecenter, and is there provided with an opening, 10, which is the onlycommunicating passage between the tube, 5, and the interior of the pail.This opening is normally closed by a valve, 11, which is held up againstthe lower side of the plate, 9, bya light spring, 12, the end of whichis adapted to slip into a keeper 14 secured to the under side of theplate, 9, of the cap, 8. By thus attaching the valve it is easilyremovable, facilitating the separation of the parts of the strainer forthe purposes of cleaning, &c. The tension of the spring is sufficient tokeep the valve on its seat, so that the opening, 10, is closed therebyair tight, but yet it yields to a slight downward pressure, so that onlya comparatively small amount of liquid would be held up thereby beforeit would be moved off its seat, and permit it to enter the pail. A pieceof cloth, 13, may be placed over the end of the'tube, 5, before the cap,8, is slipped thereon, to serve as an additional strainer. The cap willhold the cloth securely in place. A valve such as described, that is onewhich is normally held up so as to close the opening into the interiorof the pail, serves not only to prevent the escape of the contents ofthe pail which might happen to fall into the strainer will be therebydeflected and roll off into the space where the plate 3 and the strainer4 join, where it is not liable to be broken off and carried into thepail along with the milk.

A pail provided with my invention saves milk, as it prevents animalssuch as dogs, cats and calves, from getting at the milk in the pail: thestrainers cut up or permit the formation of froth; it retains the milkin the pail should it become overturned, whether it be completelyinverted or only lie upon its side and it prevents the contamination ofthe milk either from dirt, or from odors or gases.

Having described my invention, what I claim is- 1. A cover for a pailhaving the strainer, a depending tube surrounding the strainer, aremovable cap adapted to fit onto the said tube and provided with anopening, and a Valve held upward against such opening to normally closeit, substantially as set forth.

2. A cover C for a pail provided with a centrally arranged opening inwhich is arranged a strainer, 4:, a depending tube, 5, surrounding thisstrainer, the strainer, 6, arranged within the tube, 5, the cap adaptedto close the lower end of the tube provided with a hole, 10, the valve,11, below the said hole and adapted to close it, and the spring whichnormally holds the valve up to close the opening, 10, substantially asset forth.

3. A cover for a pail, having a centrally arranged opening, a strainerclosing such opening, a depending flange or tube surrounding theopening, and the detachable strainer, 6, provided with a rim, 7, adaptedto fit into the said tube, and the handle 70 by which it can bemanipulated, substantially as set forth.

4. A cover for a pail having a strainer, a depending tube surroundingthe strainer, a removable cap adapted to fit onto the said tube andprovided with an opening, and a valve 11 adapted to close the saidopening and a spring 12 attached to the valve and a keeper on the saidcap into which the said spring may be freely slipped, and from which itmay be easily removed, whereby the valve is made removable,substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ELI B. BRIGGS.

\Vitnesses:

T. F. RICHMOND, SHERIDAN GoRToN.

